


Prologue II

by SeekHim



Series: Prologues [3]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drama, Friendship, Gen, Kirk leaves the Enterprise, Kirk on a different ship, Rape Aftermath
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2016-09-09
Packaged: 2018-08-12 23:01:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 4,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7952605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeekHim/pseuds/SeekHim
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From the time Kirk left the Enterprise until his first launching aboard the USS Saratoga, a lot of conversations happened.<br/>Takes place in my 'New Start' verse</p><p>Disclaimer<br/>I'm not making a cent from this story. Kirk, Pike and McCoy all belong to Star Trek. The name U.S.S. Saratoga is from Neferit's story, but everything about it I made up!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ground to Dust

_4/14/2258_  
_Enterprise Corridors_  
_8:45 AM_

Uhura slowly made her way towards the bridge. She and the rest of the Senior Staff had been released   
from the brig earlier that morning and ordered to get ready for their shifts. They had each slunk off to   
their quarters, silent and broken, to clean up.

As she made her way through the bright corridors, she noticed the silence. As always there were plenty   
of crewmembers walking around, but none of them were talking except in quiet whispers, none seemed   
willing to meet each other's eyes and everyone cast a pall of guilt and shame.

* * *

_Bridge_

The mood was even worse on the bridge. Sulu’s face was set but he was clearly pained. Chekov   
looked like he was about to cry. _I thought he'd run out of tears in the brig_ , Uhura thought idly. 

Down in Engineering she knew that Scotty would be as miserable as he had been in the brig, even  
working with his beloved machines.

Spock sat in the Captain’s chair. He was serve as Acting Captain until a new one was assigned   
but Uhura knew that in the eyes of Starfleet he had fallen.

As had all of them.

And to think that it had only been a month ago when everything had seemed perfect. They had been   
the crew that had saved Earth. They had all been living their dream. First Officer and Chief Science Officer,   
Chief Engineer, Chief Helmsman, Chief Navigator and Chief of Communications. A golden ship with a   
golden Captain and a golden future.

And now all of that was ground to dust. 

Their reputation as heroes was definitely past tense. For all she knew they might all be reassigned,   
or even kicked out of Starfleet altogether.

Her misery deepened as she tuned into the constant stream of communications data, listening to   
the stations' comm traffic.

Everyone and their mother was talking about Captain Kirk. And how his crew had basically turned   
their backs him.

She was jerked from her thoughts by an incoming signal and she winced when she listened to it.  
She didn’t envy the recipient of the call _at all_.

"Commander," she called.

When Spock looked at her she spoke hesitantly. "Sir, I'm receiving a transmission from New Vulcan.  
It's Ambassador Spock. He's requesting a private channel."

Spock stood. "Direct it to the Ready Room."

* * *

_1 hour later_

Spock slowly returned to the bridge. In his mind’s eye was fixed the image of his counterpart.

Contrary to popular opinion, Vulcans could and did get angry. That was something that he knew   
all too well. A Vulcan’s anger could be a terrible thing and to be on the receiving end of it even worse.

His counterpart had been _very_ angry. His anger hadn’t been the furious explosion that Spock had  
shown the day that Kirk had provoked him. He hadn’t raised his voice and his face hadn’t changed  
expression.

But the anger, disappointment and sorrow had been all too clear.

And in his ears were the echoes of the elder’s final words.

 _“I will leave it to you, my younger self, to ascertain a way in which you may gain back what_ _you_  
_have lost; the trust and respect of both your Captain and of others. You will discover that it will_  
_take you a long time to regain those things. And if you do it will **not** be through logic.”_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Those of you who have read Neferit's works may have come across her 'This is the End' trilogy.  
> In it Kirk is raped during shore leave. Instead of supporting him his crew, with the exception of Dr. McCoy,  
> assumes that he was just fooling around . This betrayal added to the trauma of being raped leads  
> Kirk to step down as Captain of the Enterprise. Months later he accepts command of a different ship,  
> the U.S.S. Saratoga. 
> 
> This series is my take on Kirk in his new command. I've written it with Neferit's kind permission.  
> If you like PLEASE leave feedback! I LIVE for it!


	2. Troublemakers

_4/18/2258_  
_Kirk’s Flat_

McCoy went past Security and made his way to the door of Kirk’s flat. Since the trial Jim had kept it guarded   
so tight that unless one was Dr. Leonard McCoy, Admiral Christopher Pike or Captain James T. Kirk himself,   
they couldn’t get within fifty meters – and even then only if they knew  a complicated series of passwords,  
which Jim changed everyday.

He didn’t blame Jim for wanting it. Since the rape and the _Enterprise Incident_ , as others were calling it,  
_(Incident my ass! It was a damn travesty!)_ Jim had been a shell of his former self and sometimes he wondered  
if he’d ever see his former confident, gregarious friend again.

Most people had had the decently to give him privacy but there had been a few curiosity seekers and   
a couple of well meaning well wishers. And then six days ago, members of their former crew had actually   
had the _gall_ to show their faces after what they had done!

He was sorry he hadn't been there to see those miserable backstabbers hurled off. He’d heard that they’d   
been thrown in the brig.

 _Good riddance. Especially that hobgoblin._ _It’s past time someone took him down a few pegs._

He’d never forgiven the Vulcan for nearly strangling Jim. And when he thought about all the pain that he   
and the others had caused him through their neglect…

He entered the flat to find Jim sitting on the sofa.

Jim looked up as he approached. “Hey, Bones. I just got a call from Pike. Did you hear what happened with   
the _Enterprise_  crew?”

 _The Enterprise. Always the Enterprise_.

“What about them? Did they get arrested again? Or is that asking too much?”

“They're staying the same. The whole crew is going to stay onboard the _Enterprise._ I gotta admit I’m surprised.    
I'd have thought they’d all be split up, sent to different ships.”

McCoy snorted. “They wanted to keep all those troublemakers in one place.  Thank about it; if you were the   
Captain of some other ship would you want any of _those_ idiots serving under you?”

 


	3. Thank you

_4/20/2258_  
_Kirk’s Flat_  
_4:00 PM_

“Come _on_ ,  Jim,” McCoy urged.

Kirk didn’t respond.

McCoy frowned worriedly. _All during the Academy he was always dragging **me** out to have some fun._  
_And now._

“Jim, _please_. You’ve been holed up in here for over a week. You need to get out.”

“Fine.”

*********************************************************************************************  
_Outside_

“Johnson.” Kirk greeted the head of the Security officers who’d been guarding his flat for the past  
several days.

The tall African American nodded back. “Captain. Heading out?

Kirk managed a slightly rueful look. “Yep. Dr. McCoy here thinks that I need to get some fresh air.”

“Would you like one of us to go with you?”

“No. I think Bones here can look out for me. We’ll be going to the park and then a coffeehouse  
a few blocks from here. I should be back by 6. And Johnson...”

“Sir?”

“I know that tomorrow's your last day here; Pike told me that you were due for reassignment.  
So, in case we don’t get to speak again, I wanted to say thank you. For everything.”

“You’re welcome, sir.”

 


	4. I must decline

_4/22/2258  
_ _Starfleet Headquarters_

“Lieutenant Darius Johnson. Come in and have a seat.”

As Johnson seated himself, Admiral Michael Stewart looked over his PADD. “Your Academy scores were   
excellent and your record since then has been exemplary. Starfleet is prepared to offer you a position   
on board the _USS Enterprise_. She’s gotten a new CO and she’s scheduled to ship out on the 24th.   
They could use with a fine security officer like yourself."

Johnson paused. Serving onboard a starship had always been his preference and to serve onboard   
the _Flagship_ , the greatest ship in the Fleet... It would be a tremendous career move, one that once  
upon a time he would have jumped at.

But now.

He had seen the look in Captain Kirk’s eyes. Had seen the pain and the haunted expression.  
And he understood it.

He had never been raped, but his older sister had been during her sophomore year in college.   
Afterwards, he had seen that same haunted look in her eyes. He had been only thirteen at the time,   
but he still remembered it and he knew that he would never forget it.

He also knew that Kirk’s pain wasn’t entirely due to the rape. He was well aware of the _Enterprise Incident_.  
All of Starfleet was.

His sister had had the love and support of her family and friends, but although she had recovered,   
she had never been the same. If they hadn’t been there for her he didn’t like to imagine what might  
have happened.

With Captain Kirk he didn’t have to imagine.

Both his sister and Kirk had been raped. Kirk had been both raped and _betrayed._

“Admiral. This is truly a great honor. But I must respectfully decline.”

 


	5. Goodbye, Old Girl

_7/12/2258  
Spacedock  
_ _Bridge of the Saratoga_

Eric Martell took a deep breath as he looked around the now empty bridge. The _USS Saratoga_ had docked  
at Spacedock and would be there for quite awhile. From the time that she had first launched in 2245 she   
had served well, but thirteen years was wearing even on a science vessel and so for the next five months  
she would be getting a major overhaul.

He wouldn’t be on her when she re-launched.

Two months previously his wife, Dorothy had fallen ill and the doctors had given her, at best only a few   
months to live. He intented to spend every minute of the time she had left at her side. And after that...

He thought of their daughter, Veronica. He and Dorothy had always regretted not being there for the birth  
of their grandson. It was just after she was diagnosed that they had learned that their second grandchild   
was on the way. Dorothy earnestly wanted to live long enough to see her come into the world. And she  
had made him promise that even if she didn’t make it until then, he would be there. That was a promise  
he was determined to keep. And afterwards…  
   
“This is it, Old girl,” he said quietly to his ship. “For thirty six years I’ve been a member of Starfleet.  
For thirty years I’ve been a husband and a Starfleet officer. Now it’s time for me to be just a husband,  
a father and a grandfather. I sat at your helm for thirteen years. It's time for someone  else to do it now.”

He sighed then turned and walked toward the turbolift. Upon reaching it he turned back one last time.  
“Goodbye, Old girl.”


	6. Deep Space Station G-I

_Captain’s Log:_  
_Stardate: 2258. 8.5_

 _The Enterprise has been ordered to Deep Space Station G-1. Here she will have a routine maintenance_  
_check and have some minor upgrades done. I anticipate a glowing report, the Enterprise has performed_  
_magnificently since we left Earth four months ago._

 _The crew has functioned admirably as well, but remains very subdued. Since we left Earth our missions,_  
_so far, have been patrol or survey. This will be the first time that the crew will be able to interact  
__with other Starfleet personnel. Normally a chance to visit a Starbase for a two day shore leave is_ _welcome._  
_A break from routine and a chance to see new faces._

 _But this isn't normal._ _I’m not a gambler but if I were I’d wager that the coming shore leave will not be pleasant._

_Jason Morrick_

* * *

_Bridge_

“Docking complete,” Sulu announced.

Morrick stood. “Good. Commander Spock you’re with me.”

* * *

_Enterprise Airlock_

Morrick and Spock stood side by side at the airlock doors.

 _"Starbase Maintenance approaching Airlock 4,"_ the computer announced.

The doors opened and a tall man of Indian origin stepped forward. “Commander Pranab Mishra,  
Chief of Operations. Request permission to come aboard.”

Morrick smiled and stepped forward. “Permission granted. Welcome aboard.”

“Captain.”  Mishra extended his hand and the two exchanged a firm handshake.

Morrick nodded toward Spock. “Commander Spock, my First Officer.”

“Commander.” Mishra’s nod was respectful but his eyes had hardened.  Vulcans didn’t shake hands  
but it was obvious that even if they did, Mishra probably wouldn’t have offered.

The Operations Chief turned his attention back to Morrick. “Is there anything specific you’d like  
to report? Anything my teams need to be aware of?”

“No, I’m very pleased with the operation of the _Enterprise.”_

A slight smile came to the Indian’s face. “I’ve no doubt. I was part of the team that helped put  
the _Enterprise_ together. She’s the pride of the Fleet.”

Morrick smiled. “That she is. Well, Admiral Clori wanted to see me, so I should be on my way.  
Commander Spock will remain on board to be available should you need him.”

The smile left Mishra’s face and the cool expression returned. “Thank you, Captain, but I don’t  
think that we’ll need him until we’re ready for inspection.” 

* * *

 _Captain’s Log:_  
_Stardate 2258.8.7_

_I won the wager. It wasn't pleasant **at all.**_

_Some of the crewmembers returned to the ship in less than an hour. And all of those who_ _left, regardless  
of the length of their stay, came back as stiff as boards and, as in the case of _ _my Chief of_  
_Communications, Lieutenant Uhura, wearing expressions of shame and/or humiliation_.

 _Others, such as my Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Commander Scott, chose_ _not to leave the ship at all,  
but to spend the two days onboard the Enterprise._

_And aside from the maintenance teams, nobody from the station came aboard to visit._

_I think this was the first time the crew fully faced the ramifications of their actions towards_ _Captain Kirk.  
A harsh lesson but a necessary one._

_Jason Morrick_


	7. Awaiting Assignment

_8/15/2258_  
_Nlia_  
_The Western Continent_  
_The City of Aaupa  
_ _Torash Residence_

“So, now that you’re graduates where will you and Tuskaro be assigned?”

“Not all graduates are assigned right away, Aunt Brimyl,” Shylea L’Naym answered. “Sometimes they need  
to wait for weeks or even months. Part of it is the placement itself; they want to put new graduates in just  
the right position and sometimes one doesn’t become available until later.”

After their graduation from the Starfleet Training Program for Enlisted Personnel, L’Naym and her lifemate  
had returned to Nlia to visit their families. They'd spent most of their time either in Khasha, L’Naym’s birthplace,  
or in Skadi, the home of Alyen’s parents. Right now they were visiting Aaupa, the home of L’Naym’s favorite   
aunt, Brimyl Ryleth.

“Another thing to consider is that Tuskaro and I are bonded lifemates,” L’Naym went on. “If either of us were   
single we’d no doubt be placed somewhere a lot sooner. The same would probably be the case if we were   
lifemated but members of a different species; in Starfleet couples are frequently given separate assignments.

“But we’re Nlian; Starfleet knows what happens to Nlian lifemates if they're separated for too long, so they  
need to try to keep us together and that can cause delays with placement. A planetary outpost in one place   
may need a botanist, but have no need for a medic. Or another station may need a medic but have no need   
for a botanist. They need to find a place that needs both a botanist and a medic and that may take time."

She frowned slightly. “Also, ever since the Nero Engagement, the entire Fleet has been in upheaval.   
Several ships were destroyed and people who they had originally planned to transfer to them are now   
being transferred to other areas. New enlisted personnel are usually sent to stations, but because   
of the upheaval, there's an excess of seasoned personnel being sent to stations and they’re filling   
positions that newer crewmembers would have taken. In short, things are very chaotic right now.”

L’Naym took a sip from the tea she was drinking. “Tuskaro and I don’t plan to be idle while we’re waiting.  
When we get back to Earth he’s planning to take an extra course in Emergency Medical Training.   
And I’ll be taking extra courses as well.”

She smiled. “It will be nice to see the Academy Gardens again. I often talk to the groundskeeper and earlier   
this year I helped him plant an elm tree sapling. He let me pick the spot. I chose my favorite spot by the parade  
grounds. Tuskaro and I would often go there to watch the cadets drill and march.”

She chuckled. “Elm trees take up to a hundred years to fully grow and they can live for three hundred years.  
Maybe someday, a hundred years from now, Starfleet cadets will sit under the tree that I helped plant,   
while they watch the parades and dream of their futures.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Star Trek the Next Generation episode 'The Drumhead' Captain Picard mentions that during  
> his time in the Academy his favorite place to study was beneath a large elm tree by the parade  
> grounds. I thought that maybe Shylea helped to plant it. :)


	8. News of the Captain

_11.20. 2258_  
_Enterprise Mess Hall_  
_5:30 PM_

“Captain Kirk’s getting a new ship,” Uhura said quietly to her companions. She, Spock, Sulu and Chekov   
were all sitting together in the Mess Hall. Since the Incident, they had formed a tight bond- a bond   
of mutual sorrow and regret.

Scotty hadn’t joined them today. The Chief Engineer was increasingly spending his time in the depths   
of Engineering, burying his guilt and shame by working with his beloved machines. From observing him,   
Chekov was certain that it was the only thing that gave the Scott any joy now.

“Ze Keptin’s going back into space?” Chekov asked.

After the _Enterprise Incident_ , Kirk had spent two months off duty. He had then started performing light   
administrative work at Starfleet Command.

Sulu nodded slightly. “That’s good.” His thoughts went back to a conversation he had had with his former Captain.

***********************************************************************

 _*Flashback*_  
_3.2.2258_  
_Starfleet Headquarters._

_Kirk clapped Sulu’s back “Well, Sulu, it’s official. Repairs are done and the Enterprise is heading_ _back out  
into the black.”_

_Sulu smiled. “I didn’t think Mr. Scott would ever think we were ready to head back out.”_

_Kirk grinned. “You know Scotty. He would always say and I quote. “Ye cannae expect a ship that’s just  
escaped the grip of a black hole to embark on a new mission without a **thorough** i_ _nspection and retrofit!”_

_“We’ll I’m glad he finally said the ship’s ready to fly again, because I am too.”_

_Kirk’s smile turned thoughtful. “You and me both, Lieutenant. You and me both.”_

_*Flashback ends*_  
_***********************************************************************************************_

Sulu took a deep breath. One of the things he had definitely learned about Captain Kirk in the short   
time under his command was that he was a man born to fly.

“Do you know what ship they gave him?” he asked.

“They offered him the _U.S.S. Triumph_ , but he turned it down.”

Sulu frowned slightly in puzzlement. He’d heard about the _Triumph,_ she was another _Constitution_  
class and, aside from the _Enterprise,_   the newest ship in the Fleet. If the _Enterprise_ hadn't been built   
there was no doubt the _Triumph_ would have been the Flagship.

“Why would he turn the _Triumph_ down? I saw schematics for her once. She’s a great ship.”

Uhura was quiet for a moment. “He said that he didn’t want anything even remotely resembling   
his last posting. That means no _Constitution_ class ship. Preferably not a large ship at all.”

Silence hung over the group. Their former Captain was so scarred by what had happened to him,   
by what they had all done to him, that not only did he not want see them, he didn’t even want  
anything that might remind him of them.

“Do you know vhat ship zey gave him?” Chekov whispered.

“They gave him a science vessel. The _USS Saratoga._ ”

A science vessel.

Science vessels were the smallest and least acknowledged ships in Starfleet. The man who had saved   
Earth, the former commander of the greatest ship in the Fleet, had chosen to take command of a tiny   
vessel that would spend its days analyzing soil samples.

All because he didn’t want anything that reminded him of them.

 


	9. This is it

_12/31/2258_  
_Starfleet Headquarters  
Hangarbay 2_

“Alright everyone,” the officer said to the group assembled before him. “I’m Lieutenant Aaron Blackhawk,  
and you can consider me your chauffer.” He smiled at the responding chuckles. “I see that they’re six of you.   
As I call your names, please step forward, show me your PADDs, and then board.”

He called out the first name on the clipboard. “Alyen.”

“Here.” The young male Nlian approached and handed him his PADD.

Blackhawk looked through it. “Crewman Tuskaro Alyen…Medical. Paramedic and Medical assistant.”  
He smiled. “Well, I guess you’ll be helping to keep us patched up. Welcome aboard.”

He continued to call out names.

“Yeoman Michelle Danvers…Crew Support. Records and Resource management.

“Ensign Eric Keller…Security."

After he handed their PADDS back, each new crewmember in turn, would board the shuttle.

“Crewman Shylea L’Naym…Science. Specializing in botany.

“Crewman Monica O’ Gill…Engineering. Specializing in both Internal systems and auxiliary.

“Crewman Ingrid Thorsen…Science. Specializing in geology and, geomorphology.”

After he handed their PADDS back, each new crewmember in turn, would board the shuttle.

Upon entering L’Naym quickly spotted her lifemate and hurried over to sit by him.

Both of them clasped hands tightly. This was it. Over the past few months Starfleet had begun to slowly  
recover from the upheaval caused by Nero’s attack and more and more new personnel had been given  
assignments. Nearly all of their graduating class had been placed by now and on the 20th they had been  
summoned to the officer of Commander Dobson to be informed that they had finally been as well.

They had been shocked when they were told that they had been assigned to a starship. For years it had   
been standard procedure for most new enlisted personnel to be assigned to outposts or stations.  
There were exceptions- their mutual friend, Hakeem Arinze, had been assigned to be a medical technician  
onboard the _USS Winthrop_ , shortly after graduating. But he had been one of the top fifty students in their   
class and the _Winthrop_ had had to transfer some of their previous medical personnel due to the upheaval.

Commander Dobson had explained that the losses caused by Nero had resulted in an atypical acceleration  
of assets, enlisted personnel included. Several promising graduates of the Training Program were now being   
posted on ships right away. The two of them had been assigned to a small science vessel, the _USS Saratoga_.

To work on another world, or on a station, would have been a great privilege. But to be on a ship...  
to be constantly traveling among the stars. It was more than they had dared dream.

And now it was happening. After a year of training and preparation, months of waiting and a lifetime  
of dreaming, they were finally launching to their first assignment.

 “Shuttle crew, stand by for life off,” Blackhawk announced.

 _*This is it, Beloved,*_ Alyen whispered. _*We’re going to the stars.*_

 _*I know,*_ she whispered back. * _And most of all we’re going together. We’ll always be together.*_

_*Always.*_

 


	10. Do you think we should?

_1/1/2259_  
_Alyen and L'Naym's Quarters_  
_5:30 PM_

“And tomorrow we’ll present our Esteem Gift to him,” Alyen said.

After they’d arrived on the _Saratoga_ , all of the new crewmen had been greeted by the First Officer,  
Commander Thelin, a tall and very imposing Andorian. He had briefed each of them and given them   
their new schedules, which each would begin the following day

The lifemates had then taken the time to explore their new home, greet their new fellow crewmembers  
and settle into their assigned quarters.

Today the ship’s new commanding officer, Captain James T Kirk, had come aboard. The Nlians had briefly   
met him at Starfleet HQ a few days before they were deployed and had seen him again in the shuttle bay   
when he had first boarded and accepted command.

Both times had stuck out with them for some reason.

They had been familiar with him before hand of course. There probably wasn’t a person in the Federation  
who hadn’t heard of James Tiberius Kirk, former Captain of the _USS Enterprise_. The Hero who saved Earth,  
and the tragic victim of the Enterprise Incident.

They,like everyone else, had heard about and followed the trial and they like everyone else felt awful  
about what had happened to the famous Captain.

But there was something more.

Alyen had recalled that time months ago while still in training when Arinze had taken him out to attend  
a party. Arinze had parked his car near the Captain’s flat. Alyen had looked at that flat and thought about  
the man inside it. It had struck him that it wasn’t just a famous Captain in that flat. It was a young man,  
not much older than him. A man who had been terribly hurt in the worse possible way: physically violated  
and then betrayed and abandoned. A man who probably felt very alone.

When they had encountered the Captain for the first time at Starfleet HQ, both of them had looked into  
his eyes and seen a Captain who was determined to start anew…and a man who had been badly hurt.

Yesterday they had both made an appointment to see the Captain. They planned to follow through with  
the ancient Nlian custom of bestowing a Gift of Esteem to their new ‘chieftain’ as it where. They were both  
scheduled to see him tomorrow at 1500 hours.

Alyen noticed that his lifemate was looking thoughtful.

“Beloved, I’ve been thinking…” she said. “When we speak to the Captain tomorrow…why don’t we invite  
him over for a Pledge Meal? That’s also a tradition.”

“Do you think we should?” Since enlisting in Starfleet they had quickly noticed that most senior officers  
were formal towards subordinates, even while off duty, and the higher ranked they were the more formal  
they seemed to become. “He might think it’s inappropriate.”

“He might. But then again he might not. From what I’ve heard, Captain Kirk is rather unconventional  
and after all that he’s been through, he might enjoy a home cooked meal in an informal setting."

Alyen nodded. “I thank you might be right, Beloved.  When we met him at Starfleet Headquarters I had  
a feeling that…that he could use all the friends he could get.”

He nodded again firmly. “All right. When we see him tomorrow we’ll invite him. If he refuses we’ll present  
his gift to him and leave.”


	11. A Beginning

_1/2/2259_   
_Captain's Ready Room_   
_3:00 PM_

"Come in."

The lifemates stepped inside the Ready Room.  Their Captain was sitting at his desk where he had   
apparently been reading a report. He looked up as they approached. "Crewmen Alyen and L'Naym."

"Glad that you remember us, sir," L'Naym said with a smile.

Alyen smiled as well, although he was a bit nervous. Greeting a Captain while he was sitting casually   
with a friend in a lobby was one thing. Greeting him formally in his Ready Room was something else.   
And while nothing ever seemed to intimidate his beloved lifemate, parts of his boyhood shyness were   
still with him.

"Never forget a face." The Captain’s smile was friendly and he gestured to the two chairs in front   
of his desk. "Have a seat.

“So what can I do for you both?" he asked after they were seated.

"Actually, Captain, we wanted to do something for you," L'Naym responded. "We've both been   
assigned Alpha Shift for the next few days." She took a breath. "And we were hoping to invite you   
to share a meal with us tomorrow evening."

The Captain’s eyebrows rose in surprise and she continued. "You see, sir, meals are very important   
on Nlia. When one has gained a new leader it’s customary to invite them to one's home for a meal   
as a sign of loyalty and respect. It's a very old tradition and it's not always performed or accepted   
but we felt led to offer it to you."

"We're aware that you might consider it inappropriate for two crewmen to make such an offer to   
a Captain," Alyen spoke for the first time. "And if you refuse we'll understand."

"But if you'd consider it, we'd be honored," L'Naym finished.

"The honor is mine, Crewmen," the Captain said quietly. "I would be happy to share a meal with   
you both."

Both Nlians' eyes widened and then a beaming smile broke out over L'Naym's face. "Wonderful!   
Can we expect you tomorrow at 1800 hours? Room 487?"

"Tomorrow evening, 1800 hours," their Captain promised. "I'll be there with bells on."

END


End file.
